In today's world, SafeSearch has acquired unprecedented relevance. Known for its impact on various aspects of society, SafeSearch has captured the attention of academics, experts and the general public. Its influence extends to areas such as economics, politics, technology, culture and everyday life. As SafeSearch continues to be the subject of analysis and debate, it is crucial to understand its implications and consequences now and in the future. In this article, we will explore in detail the importance and scope of SafeSearch, as well as its possible effects on society.
Google search feature
This article is about the Google search feature. For the general concept of filtering web content, see Content-control software.
On November 11, 2009, Google introduced the ability for users with Google Accounts to lock on the SafeSearch level in Google's web and image searches. Once configured, a password is required to change the setting.
On December 12, 2012, Google removed the option to turn off the filter entirely, requiring users to enter more specific search queries to access adult content.
SafeSearch is also often used on school computers, to prevent schoolchildren from accessing pornographic content.
Government and internet companies can enforce SafeSearch.
Effectiveness
A report by Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet & Society stated that SafeSearch excluded many innocuous websites from search-result listings, including ones created by the White House, IBM, the American Library Association and Liz Claiborne. On the other hand, many pornographic images slip through the filter, even when "innocent" search terms are entered. Blacklisting certain search terms is hindered by homographs (e.g., "beaver"),blacklisting certain URLs is rendered ineffective by the changing URLs of porn sites, and software to tag images with copious amounts of flesh tones as pornographic content is problematic because there are a variety of skin tones and pictures of babies tend to have a lot of flesh tones. Google's ability to filter porn has been an important factor in its relationship with the People's Republic of China.